Tofu Salad Sandwich

Years ago, my friend Brian introduced me to Tofu Spread. At the time I was a pretty unhealthy eater, and tofu was definitely not a part of my diet, let alone as a sandwich spread. Back then I liked my sandwiches made with a good amount of spicy salami and some salty pickled peppers. Today, the thought of such a sandwich makes me equally salivate and cringe. Salivate because in truth, I still find those things delicious, but I cringe because I know how bad they are for my body. My solution has been not to buy or keep those ingredients at home, and to just enjoy them in moderation when I am out and about.

But anyway, back to the tofu spread. Even in my nitrate-filled carnivorous days, I liked the tofu spread my friend forced me to try. I think I even bought a tub of it myself a few times shortly after my introduction. Over time though, I forgot all about it. Until now that is, in the middle of a heat wave that has left me less-than-eager to turn the oven on. We have been eating chicken salad sandwiches for weeks now so it was time for a change. Welcome back tofu spread! I am so glad we are reunited. This is a far cry from the store-brought stuff I first knew. Loaded with fresh veggies, herbs, and creamy tahini, this tofu salad sandwich is on a whole other level. If you’ve never had it before, it is a lot like egg salad, minus the stinky breath! Bonus points! I urge you to try this out, whether you are a full fledged vegan or vegetarian, or if, like me, you just want to lighten things up a bit and eat healthier. And Brian, if you are out there reading this, I hope you can still buy your beloved tofu spread now that you’ve moved across the world to Australia!

Ingredients

(Makes about 2 cups of tofu spread, enough for 6 sandwiches)

1 16 oz. pkg tofu, pressed to get rid of excess liquid

1 rib celery, finely diced

2 green onions, minced

1/2 a small green pepper, finely diced

Large handful fresh parsley, minced

3 heaping tbsp tahini

2 heaping tbsp dijon mustard

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/4 tsp celery salt

1/4 tsp onion powder

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

For sandwich: Bread, sliced tomato, sliced avocado, lettuce, pickle, etc. I included my homemade Green Panther Pesto and it was fantastic in this sandwich!

Directions

To press tofu: cut tofu in half lengthwise, place two halves on a towel-lined plate. Place a second towel on top, and put a plate on top of this. Put in the fridge with a heavy object on top and leave to press for at least 15 minutes, or overnight.

Crumble tofu into a medium bowl. Add all other ingredients and mash them in with a fork. Adjust seasoning to taste.

To assemble a sandwich, simply spread about a 2 cm layer of tofu on a slice of bread and finish with your choice of toppings. Enjoy!